1There is a certain irony in this. From the time of Marius onwards, the cavalry attached to a legion were usually foreign auxiliaries; so to transfer (rescribere) legionaries to the cavalry was not exactly a compliment. But there is probably an allusion to the cavalry of earlier days, which was formed of noble and wealthy citizens, and to the Knights (equites), who at the time formed an influential party in Roman politics. -- H.J. Edwards